Realms of Faith...

I have been a disciple since April of 1993 and I can't believe its been that long. I have to say that it has been quite a ride. April 6, 1993 started out the same as any other day, but somehow, I didn't know just how precious this day would be to me as I have launched out to pioneer my own unique journey of faith. On that momentous April evening a small flame was lit inside the very depth of my soul. Throughout my years of discipleship, that little flame has grown, and sometimes it has threatened to be extinguished as my spirit and the very core of my faith has weathered trials in order to ultimately be romanced, pursued, and drawn into the center of the Lord's certainty and unrelenting authenticity. There have been times of stagnant complacency, but there have been many more seasons where my faith has had to make a decision to grow, mature, and press on to higher realms.

God has used the image of light in order to show the depth and degree of my faith. From that first moment, as I came out of the waters of baptism, the little flame of faith has been on a journey of its very own. During my adolescent years I held to my faith with white-knuckled determination as I went through the turbulent winds of finding my identity. To be absolutely truthful, it has been my goal since those middle-school and high school days to persistently and confidently hold to the reality of the Lord. I have had to depend on something deeper and higher all of the days of my life in the natural realm.

I can confidently say that my journey these days is just the best. It truly is the most fulfilling part of my life because out of it flows everything else that resides in the core of who I am. My prayer is that my faith is seen by God in the heavenly places as a roaring fire that is ever-deepening and growing, and becoming brighter and purer with every passing day. It is my life's mission to learn to love God with a ruthless abandon; to not allow the world or humanity define the confines of my relationship with Him. This road I have chosen is one filled with joy, challenge, trial, rich fulfillment, and ultimate satisfaction and sufficiency. How has the Lord shown you the degree of your faith? Are you at a place of growth, complacency, or dormancy? May you desire to let your faith become like a raging glorious fire set on the altar of the Lord.

An Extravagant Invitation...

We have an extravagant invitation as members of the human race. The extravagant invitation is a relationship with Jesus Christ. The sad thing is that everyone on this earth will not choose the path of relationship with Jesus. That realization honestly breaks my heart. Furthermore, it absolutely grieves the heart of God. There are so many broken, shattered, and hungry hearts in the world that just cannot accept the fact that the Son of God paid their debt once and for all. The Father longs to scoop those hearts onto His lap and sing His delight over them. He is earnestly seeking and roaming the earth to romance and pursue those hearts. For that, I am so grateful. I am also astounded at His stubborn faithfulness in a fallen and weak and broken world. There is absolutely nothing that is more urgent on the heart of God than the salvation of every person on the face of this earth. I've seen time and time again that this is His one pure and holy passion: to win the souls of hurting and hungry people. As believers, it is our calling to live lives that attract others to the feet of Jesus so that His aroma can be taken to every corner of this natural realm. We are to live as walking "Words" of God. Will you accept the extravagant invitation of Christ Jesus?

"[No] you yourselves are our letter of recommendation (our credentials), written in your hearts, to be known (perceived, recognized) and read by everybody." - 2 Corinthians 3:2

"But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of God's vicory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere. For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ [which exhales] unto God, [discernible, alike] among those who are saved and among those who are perishing. To the latter it is an aroma [wafted] from death to death [a fatal odor, the smell of doom]; to the former it an aroma from life to life [a vital fragrance living and fresh]." - 2 Corinthians 2:14-16

Thin Places...

I recently had an experience with the Lord that has been etched into my mind's eye. This experience occurred in the midst of my soaking time on one Monday evening. In case you don't know what soaking is, it is a time set aside to wait in the presence of the Lord for Him to speak to our hearts in times of quiet reflection. Sometimes there is someone speaking with music in the background and sometimes there is only instrumental music. The really cool thing is that you are invited to get as comfortable as you possibly can so that you can focus and be present as the Lord spends time with you. I absolutely love it. Soaking is a thin place in my week.

A thin place is where God invades the natural realm and a piece of heaven can be seen or felt. Now, that is just my definition. If I really think about it, there are thin places everywhere because God is constantly on the move. He is always wanting to reveal more of Himself to those who earnestly devote themselves to looking for evidence of His presence. It is so much fun to search for God in everything. I constantly pray that I will have a spirit that is receptive and open to the Lord; that my spirit will be one hundred percent accessible to Him in all seasons, in all circumstances, and in all I do and say. Now I wonder if you have thin places in your lives. Take time today to ask God what the thin places are for you. It will most likely surprise you what He reveals. It has left me astounded at times. He truly is everywhere. Open your eyes and your spirit to search and find Him. He is expectantly searching and longing for you. He is especially fond of you and you are His favorite. That is one thing that the sacrifice of Christ bought us--the opportunity to be the apple of God's eye.

"Keep me as the apple of Your eye." - Psalm 17:8

Lasting Fulfillment...

There are so many things in this world that promise fulfillment. Money, status, and material possessions are only a few of the things on that list. Men, women, and children are constantly bombarded with messages that promise fulfillment, but rarely deliver. As I have gone through life, I have found only one thing that provides lasting, true, and ultimate fulfillment--Jesus Christ. Having a relationship with Jesus is the most soul-satisfying and fulfilling thing I have ever known. You may ask, "Why is it so fulfilling?" My answer would be because God does not measure success or failure by the size of my bank account, my waist size, or the size of my home. He decided two thousand years ago that I was worth the sacrifice of His only Son. Now, I think that is pretty remarkable. My job on earth now is to live a life that is worthy of that sacrifice and to let as many people in on this precious gift as possible. Are you looking for worldly things to fill the hole that was custom made for God? Are you wandering around without purpose or direction? Consult the Lord and commit your way and your life to Him. It truly is the best thing there is.

Soul Seasons...

Have you ever noticed that the soul goes through seasons? I sure have. My own soul has experiened many different seasons as it has been in a process of maturing in the Lord. I think seasons of the soul serve as opportunites to grow and become better equipped for the work the Lord has for us to do. Through different seasons of the soul, the Lord teaches us how to depend on Him and Him alone and not solely on our own strength. Seasons bring so much to our lives. These times bring nourishment, refinement, and ultimately growth that we could not achieve otherwise. Seasons of the soul truly benefit those who are in Christ because they teach us what we need to work on in order to become a stonger threat to the devil.

Confidence...

Confidence is very important in the world we live in. I have to point out though, that learning how to grow in humble, godly confidence is the way to go. Growing into a person of confidence provides peace and worth. Confidence allows us to go for our dreams and to realize that we have what it takes to see them come true. If a person is confident, they know that their worth is not measured only by success or failure, it comes from the person that they are. If men and women take the time to grow in confidence it will bring a deep and rich satisfaction that the world cannot destroy.

Confidence is a decision. Every day when our eyes open and before our feet hit the groud, we decide to be confident or to be overtaken by worry or doubt. Take it from someone who knows, choosing to be confident saves so much time. Another thing is that we honor and please God when we choose confidence. He did not create us to be ruled by doubt, fear, or inferiority. Ultimately, confidence equals true and lasting happiness. Choose to be confident.

Be Still And Know...

I never take enough time to be still. I live in a world that constantly bombards me with reasons to keep moving and to keep producing. To be honest, it gets old. My body gets tired and run down as a result of these messages and my mind races. This present world thrives on activity and constant motion. The world tells us our worth is measured by how much we accomplish and how prominant we are. Worldly success and noteriety comes at a very high price. The invitation of heaven is vastly different from what is seen in the natural realm, in what we can physically see and touch.

Heaven invites us to be still and to enjoy the presence of God that is all around us. God desires us to take time to ask Him what is on His heart. He wants us to move at His pace. Being still gives an opportunity to be refueled, repurposed, and redefined in God. I have a place where I am still every week. Monday nights are my time to be still and to ask God to allow heaven to invade earth. I am able to be still and to really listen and receive His love and mercy. Soaking ushers me into a time of stillness and content solitude with Him. It is only when we are still that the Lord can reveal His heart to us. I want more of that. I truly desire to see heaven invade earth. We need regular times when we are taken away with the Lord in order for Him to minister to us in ways that only He can. It is essential in order to be healthy and active. I hope you have a place and time when you are able to be still and know.

"Be still and know that I am God." - Psalm 46:10

Possessions...

My bible is my most treasured material possession on earth. People who know me well know that I have it with me almost all the time. I spend hours in it daily. It nourishes me, encourages me, and teaches me. It is a close friend of mine. Being in it is one of my very favorite things in the world. This Amplified bible is the one I study in and it has been very well used. It is safe to say that without this particular bible I cannot function. I know this for sure. I have had to learn to function while it has been missing before.

Last Sunday, I thought that I brought it with me to church and I thought I sat it down on the floor in front of my seat in the auditorium. I am usually very good about picking it back up before I begin singing the last song in our worship assembly. Last week when my family returned home, I realized that I had not picked up this bible and I thought it was a goner. I was very sad. I looked at church on Tuesday after Ladies class and it was gone. I let the staff in the church office know to keep their eyes open and to let me know if it showed back up. I mean I let every member of the church staff know. I was not going to leave one stone unturned. I was on a serious hunt. I just HAD to find this bible. As I pointed out before, it is practically one of my appendiges. I was so desperate, I had my group in Ladies class pray that I find it. Well after a week of searching, my mom found it...waiting patiently beside the door leading to my parents garage. My favorite bible and I are now joyfully reunited and deleriously happy to have one another again. Do you have a precious material possession such as this? I sure hope so.

Right Motives...

Do you ever have times when God checks your motives publicly? I had one of those times recently. I quickly realized that Satan had put words in my mouth and I was absolutely mortified. As soon as I spoke, I knew my motives, in that moment, were not pure at all. I desperately desire to have pure and righteous motives in everything I do, say, and think. But there are some days when God gives a test to prove whether we have correct motives. I am sad to say, I failed the test I took in that moment. I hate that. I would like to think that after sixteen years on the journey of discipleship, I have grown in this area. I guess I have some more growing to do and I am thakful the Lord showed me that.

Pure, righteous, and right motives are imperative if we want to go into deeper realms with the Lord. The one thing I have learned after all these years is that the one thing He desires more than any other thing is to have all of your heart. The bottom line is that God desires wholehearted devotion. Another thing that is really important is that we as His disciples, regularly check our motives to make sure we are being led by the Lord or if we are being led by our flesh or pride. Pride is just disasterous. It is evil. It is destructive and it breeds competition. Stay as far away from pride as you can. Being a person who walks with godly motives brings a freedom and joy that is unspeakable. I sure learned my lesson.

"And you, my son, acknowledge the God of your father and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind your thoughts." - I Chronicles 28:9

Living Water...

In Revelation 7 John tells us that the Lamb will lead His children to streams of living water located around the throne. I love that. I believe that is part of the call of discipleship--to lead people to a place where they are able to receive Christ as a conduet of Living Water. As I think about living water, I realize how desperately I need to continually abide in and partake of the invitation Jesus extends to drink from streams of living water. I know this: I desire to be a vesel filled with living water so that those whose souls are parched, broken, and used up can come and drink to their fullest capacity. One thing I enjoy meditating on is the fact that these streams are always available. Twenty-four hours a day. Three hundred sixty-five days a year. Jesus stands ready and expectantly waiting for us as His disciples to take part in this redemptive and restorative action.

Being washed, renewed, and recommisioned continuously is healthy. It is good. This process brings a new demension as a beliver. Allowing oneself to be washed and cleansed opens them up to new levels in the spiritual realm. In the Word I see over and over that the Lord desires to use clean vesels to usher in His activity and His presence. I also believe that if we are continually renewed and cleansed, we can see new works that the Lord is calling us to. Have you ever considered that the call you received long ago is not the one and only work the Lord wants to complete and bring about through you? The Lord is never stagnant; therefore, a disciple should always want to be cleansed, refreshed, and propelled into greater things. I know that is what I want. Take a moment today to allow yourself to be cleansed by the streams of living water that are standing available to you. You will be blessed.

"For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water." - Revelation 7:17

"Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is who asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." - John 4:10

Light...

One of the things that I pray often is that I will be a woman of God's light. I desire to spread His light wherever I am. There are so many things I can get depressed about in the world today. I want to deliberately choose to bring light into dark places. Jesus says that He is the light of the world. He also tells His disciples that they are children of light. Those images are very powerful to me. When we love others around us we spread God's light. I adore that thought. Light is a very, very powerful tool. It brings life to things. It redeems things.

Light also dispels darkness. Wherever light is darkness cannot come. The light of Jesus is infectious and contagious. Whenever light is brought to something it receives power and it begings to have a stronger effect. Light brings victory. Darkness and depression bring defeat. Make a choice today to pursue the light of the love of Christ. It will revolutionize your life and the events of your day.

Power In The Blood...

Over recent years I have come to really understand the power that resides in the blood of Jesus. As a result of the knowledge I have gained, I have begun to revere His blood. It is the most precious and costly gift He has given to this world. It is one hundred percent our choice whether or not His blood will take its full effect. We have to use our mouths to appropriate the power of His blood. I don't know if you know this but every time the name of a disciple of Jesus Christ is spoken, His blood washes over him or her. That just astounds me. The power that resides in the blood has the potential to change your life. As I was growing up I heard the song There's Power in the Blood, but I never really understood what that meant.

One of my favorite aspects of the blood of Jesus is that it is a line of defense the Lord uses to protect His disciples from Satan. Every single time Satan tries to accuse us, the blood of Jesus stands ready to pardon and redeem us, if we appropriate it. Appropriating the blood of Jesus is really easy and it provides a strong sense of security. All you have to do is say with your mouth, "I appropriate the blood of Jesus over ____ and I ask it to take its full effect over their life." Do this and sit back and watch the Lord hand deliver you many blessings. Satan knows that if the blood of Jesus is covering a man, woman, boy, or girl, he cannot have control or authority over them, their families, or their lives. Go ahead give it a try. I promise you will see results.

Word Made Flesh...

Jesus is the Word made flesh, and today, Good Friday, He was sent to a cruel cross. The thing that blows my mind is that He knew what was God's will and He willingly went to pay the ultimate price for my sin. I didn't say that He agreed one hundred percent about this act of love. He did not desire to die in such a barbaric way. In fact, He begged God to release Him from death. This is the day that He died for the sins of everyone in this world. Today two thousand years ago, He cancelled the debt of those who put their trust in Him. Honestly, I don't understand all of the intricacies of the sacrifice of Jesus, but I am so humbled and grateful.

God wasn't interested in sending a savior that did not intimately know the trials of those He came to save. God chose to send His only son to walk this earth just like you and I in order for Him to know fully what humanity is like. That is just unreal to me. A king who belonged in heaven came down and took the nature of a servant in order to pave the way for believers after Him. That, my friend, is what the Word made flesh is all about. Thank you so much for dying in my place, precious Jesus. Your wounds made me free. Bless you. I desire to honor you with the overflow of my life.

"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and and on earthand under the earth. And every tongue [openly] confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." - Philippians 2:10

Easter Prayers...

Father of Love,

I don't understand how you gave up your one and only son, but I am grateful. His steps through this tortorous week have taught me. His sacrifice has humbled me. Please, I ask that you would knit me to have a reverential fear and trembling concerning His most precious gift--salvation and cancellation of my debt. Teach me to evaluate myself each time I am given the symbols of His body and blood. They cost Him so much. Please grant me a pliable and teachable spirit throughout this earthly life. Thank you Jesus for the most beautiful gift and treasure of your blood that has washed me clean and has afforded me the opportunity to stand before you in perfect righteousness. I love you.

" I have come so that you may have life and have it in abundance and to the full till it overflows." - John 10:10

Victorious Warriors...

I don't know about you, but I know I want to be victorious in my life as a believer in Jesus Christ. In fact, God wants us as His disciples to be victorious as well as to enjoy this world He created. I desperately want to be a woman who lives in victory and in peace with everyone. Jesus calls me to be a peacemaker, not a person who destroys and weakens. God wants me to learn all I can about His character and His likeness. One discription of God that I adore is the one of Him being a victorious warrior. He is not shy. He is not timid. He is powerful and full of ultimate authority. I want to live the life of a victorious warrior, clothed in every piece of His holy armor so that I can deflate and defeat all of Satan's attempts to control my life and my destiny. I found a little book today on my bookshelf that was crying out to be reread. It is Joyce Meyer's The Word, The Name, The Blood. It is a tiny little book, but it is chalk-full of powerful lessons to gain victory over the ruler of this present world and I am all about that.

I want the demons to be afraid of the power I possess in Jesus Christ and the authority I exercise over their dominion. I am not about to allow Satan the pleasure of having control of my thoughts, actions, the attitudes of my heart, or the meditations of my spirit. I belong spirit, soul, and body to the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to be a student of God's heart. I want to be a strong warrior woman of my King. Take time today to learn to be victorious in all areas and arenas of your life, but also make a decision to live a victorious life within the confines of your heart, where the inner man is always being formed, renewed, and sharpened. Think victorious thoughts. Say victorious words. Then and only then will you be a victorious warrior clothed in the authority and promises of God.

Easter Traditions...

I am a person who absolutely loves traditions. I love to take part in things that have symbolism. What other holiday during the year has more symbolism than Easter? I know the one your thinking, Christmas, and you are right. Personally, I think Easter is better than Christmas because of the fact that we celebrate the finished work of the cross. In recent years, Easter has become my favorite holiday. I have to admit though holy week is difficult for me. This is because I have to face my sinfulness. Thankfully, the blood of Christ and His sacrifice, has cancelled my debt and I am able to stand confidently dressed in His righteousness. I can't even say how much peace and security that brings my soul. I am immensely thankful for the fact that Jesus defeated death and the power of Satan. I am so thankful to be redeemed and to serve a risen Savior. Jesus did not stay in the grave. He is now reigning in glory.

One yearly family Easter tradition is watching The Passion of the Christ at my grandparents house. I only watch this movie on Good Friday. To be honest, I can't really stomach it any other time. It always does my soul good to watch it at this time of year. To think that I could be in the place of those who mocked and spit on Jesus is just astounding to me. And really, I can get to that place quickly. The ingredient that gets me to that place is pride and I do not ever want to be a person of pride. I want to be extremely humble and intensely authentic in my pursuit of Jesus.

Another family tradition that I enjoy is Easter lunch. I just really like to be surrounded by people who draw me to Jesus on that particular day and the members of my family do just that in my life. I also really enjoy food. Who doesn't?

So there you have it, my favorite Easter traditions. What are yours?

Holy Moments...

I have had two very precious holy moments in the last couple weeks. The first one happened at HEB Camp last weekend. This precious two year old, Brynn served me communion on Sunday morning. After I received it from her, I wiped many tears from my eyes. She and her family are moving to Thailand in September so I am soaking up the last few months with her. I asked her daddy if he could leave her here but to my disappointment, he said no. This picture was taken right before we all loaded up and headed back to Abilene. I have such great memories of HEB Camp.

The second holy moment happened on Sunday night. My parents and I received a call that the elder JB Gibbs was in his last hours, so we headed over to their house. All three of us had the precious privilege of praying over such a wonderful godly servant leader as his family surrounded him preparing to usher him into heaven. I cannot say how much I have been given by the Gibbs family. They are just the best. Such wonderful, authentic servants who walk the walk with such beautiful sincerity. I have been thanking the Lord all day for that special gift.

A Love Revolution...

I adore that. Joyce Meyer got me fired up this morning. I truly believe that the first place this love revelution needs to begin is in the home. One of my favorite teachers, Sandy Ross, says that the truest picture of who you are is the person you are at home. I pray that God can say of me that I am a relentlessly devoted, intensely authentic worshipper and seeker at home who is full of the fruits of the Spirit and full of His light. What is born in the home is what goes out into the streets and other avenues of the world. This love revelution needs to begin in the hearts of children so they know and fully understand their worth and place in this world. We need to love them in a committed, devoted, and agape kind of love that is fervent about showing them Jesus in the truest sense possible--through the light and Truth of His Word.

The second place this love revelution needs to seep into is our churches. The Body of Christ needs new commitments and a breath of new devotion and passion given by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The church needs new direction. My prayer is that God will give us the grace of boldness to go out and make disciples of all nations. I pray that the Lord will give the church as a whole, a character that is authentically true to His divine will and person. I would love to see a Bride who is ready to receive her parner whenever He comes. I am so thankful that the Lord placed me in the midst of this time and this generation. There is so much work to do. God is calling for wholly devoted seekers and bearers of His likeness and His light in order to bring souls away from Satan's attempts to plunge them into dark places void of the Presence of God. Will you join me on this journey?

Delight...

I love to meditate on the concept of delight. First of all, I think the word itself is fabulous. But I believe the meaning is more wonderful. Delight is a high degree of pleasure or enjoyment; joy; rapture. Isn't that cool? I delight in a lot of things. Six things I delight most in are Jesus, family, friends, prayer, worship, and the Word of God. Can you imagine God delighting over His children? I mean wow. My finite little brain cannot even justify how profoundly the Lord enjoys Himself over me. I just love the fact that I bring Him immense and immeasurable joy. I want that desperately. I want to look at life from that vantage point. It is so much easier than the other ways of the world. And, it does my soul good, which is always my goal. In the book of Isaiah lies one of about a thousand of my favorite scriptures. I will share it at the end. Delight is so important. It is essential if I want to live my journey with Jesus to its fullest measure.

Delight does wonders for a person, as I've already pointed out. It drives away fear, doubt, and unbelief. How can you delight and have a heart full of unbelief? God is the author and ultimate creator of delight and all of its many benefits. There are many scriptures that command us to delight and take joy in Who the Lord is. Delight comes into the inner man of a disciple and fills it with bright light. Delight is a catalyst for much needed spring cleaning of the spirit. Its function is to drive out everything that is not of God. I love that. Delight cannot reside where God is not present and active. Delight is energizing in its fervency. So, delight in where you are right now at this moment, because the Lord takes great delight in you.

"And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting and longing] to be gractious and to bring delight to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show you loving kindness to you. Blessed are those who earnestly wait for Him." - Isaiah 30:18

God's Rest...

I have to say that God has been extrodinarily kind and gracious to me lately. I just absolutely love belonging to the Lord. There is nothing that is sweeter. This week, I had to say goodbye to a dream, and I am totally, one hundred percent at peace with it. Let me just say, my mom knows me well, I guess that comes from wisdom, combined with her being my best friend and safe place. God is showing me everyday that He is working out my future and that He will reveal it when it is time. In the meantime I am entering everyday in the complete and sweet rest of living in the will of the One who loves me in ways that I truly need even before I know it. That feeling brings an indescribable peace and security to my spirit. I just have to make a decision to claim the promises of the Lord on a daily basis. I know that my future is exceedingly good and that it is tailor made and specifically created for my deepest and most excellent enjoyment when God knows I am ready to receive it in its fullest measure. I am excited and thankful that the Lord has my name engraved upon the palms of His hands. I only have to continue to walk excellently and faithfully as He leads my journey.

Monday night I went to soaking and David Black, who is the Pastor of FUMC in Abilene, and who is becoming a fast friend said some really neat things about this season in my life. He said that God gave him a vision of me entering a time of sweet rest in Jesus. He elaborated and said that this season of rest did not necessarily mean inactivity. He said that I was simply at a place where I am surrendered and ready to receive whatever the Lord has. I loved that. I want to continually stay in that place through all of the seasons of my journey in some aspect. The Lord is doing some really cool things right now--planting seeds that I pray will bloom and become beautiful at His appointd time. I am in a place where my spirit is growing and learning new devotion to the Lord. It is good. It is sweet. It is fulfilling.

"Let Your mercy and loving kindness, O Lord, be upon us, in proportion to our waiting and hoping for you." - Psalm 33:22